GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Volunteers participating in Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu's Executive Build-A-Thon helped build a home yesterday for Daniel Kaheaku and his family in Waianae. Fixtures and tools sat ready to be used on the construction site.

Volunteers and ‘sweat equity’ build a house

Daniel Kaheaku's home won't be finished until next year, but he already has visions of barbecues, a patio play area for his grandchildren and a garden.

THE ERECTOR SET

To volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu or to apply for a home, visit www.leewardhabitat.org or call 696-7882.

"All over there, I'm going to make ti leaves," said Kaheaku, pointing to a patch of dried weeds and dirt. "Right here going to be the grass."

He watched yesterday as volunteers raised the first wall in his new home at the Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu's Executive Build-A-Thon in Waianae.

Volunteers from Home Depot, General Growth Properties, Booz Allen Hamilton and others toiled in the afternoon heat, pounding nails and hauling large wooden segments of the prefabricated home.

"Our mission is to build decent affordable homes for the very poor on the Leeward Coast. These are people that can't go to the bank. ... They won't qualify for a loan," said Susan Hughes, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu.

Kaheaku will live in the four-bedroom home with his daughter Denise and her three children. The family was forced from their previous home when it was sold. They now rent a two-bedroom home in Maili for about $1,150 a month.

"It's really small and hot," said Kaheaku's other daughter, Dana Kaheaku, who traveled from Las Vegas and put on a fluorescent green Habitat T-shirt and joined the volunteers.

To be eligible for a home, families must agree to 500 "sweat equity" hours, working 250 hours on their own home and on another site.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Work began even before the arrival of volunteers as Dave Luehring of Habitat for Humanity, left, Arthur Hansen and Kirk Durante prepared a wall for installation.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
The workday formally began with a prayer as Durante, left, Hansen, Kealoha Arelliano, Luehring, Cynthia Guerrero and Susan Hughes held hands.

Working as a mason for 18 years, Kaheaku is now retired and receives Social Security. He has been diagnosed with diabetes and must carry a small oxygen tank.

Kaheaku's dreams came true with the help of Habitat for Humanity.

"I couldn't afford it," said Kaheaku of trying to get a loan at the bank. "They deferred me already."

Arthur Hansen designed the home to allow Kaheaku, who walks with a cane, to get around easily. The 87-year-old has been working as an architect since the 1950s. He now donates his time to Habitat for Humanity.

"This is my fun," said Hansen, who was at the work site despite undergoing heart surgery a few months ago. Hansen said the home is estimated to cost $95,000 and would have been more expensive if an architect was paid for the job.

After a $1,000 down payment, the family's no-interest mortgage payments will be about $426 a month.

"This program gives the folks a hand up not a handout," said Kirk Durante, a volunteer from Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the program's sponsors. Since its inception three years ago, Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu has completed five homes.

Susan and Julie Solomon slipped on work gloves yesterday to lend a hand in the construction of Kaheaku's home, which is in view of the Solomon home under construction through Habitat for Humanity.

"I took off from work to come here. This is what the program is all about," said Susan Solomon.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Luehring, top center, guided his crew of volunteers as they erected the home's first wall.